No. 7 Penn State looks to keep momentum rolling in matchup with struggling UCLA
UCLA (1-3, 0-2 Big Ten) at No. 7 Penn State (4-0, 1-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (FOX)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Penn State by 27 1/2.
Series record: UCLA 4-2
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Unfamiliar opponents trending in opposite directions will meet for the first time since 1968. The Nittany Lions, looking for their fifth-straight 5-0 start, have quickly developed one of the most dynamic offenses in the country and their hard-hitting defense has tightened up each week. The Bruins enter their first Big Ten road game losers of three straight to ranked teams. Their offense hasn’t scored in six quarters, their defense has been pushed hard as a result and now faces the Big Ten’s most explosive offense.
KEY MATCHUP
UCLA’s offensive line vs. Penn State’s front four. The Bruins throw the ball more than they run it so there could be plenty of opportunities for the handful of players who rotate along Penn State’s defensive line. They appear to be hitting their stride as a group and combined for 4 1/2 sacks and nine tackles for losses against No. 24 Illinois.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UCLA: DB Bryan Addison. The 6-foot-5 senior has a nose for the ball. He had a 96-yard pick-six against No. 6 Oregon, his former team, last week and also knocked the Ducks’ star tight end out of the game with a big hit. They’ll need his physicality against an aggressive Penn State offense that’s pushed everyone else around so far.
Penn State: DE Abdul Carter. The former linebacker has been more impactful at his new position with each game. Carter has three sacks and 5 1/2 tackles for loss over his last two outings.
FACTS & FIGURES
This is the first season since 1963 that UCLA has failed to score at least 20 points in any of its first four games. … UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger is coming off 12- and 13-tackle performances and leads the Big Ten with 5.8 solo tackles per game. … Penn State is the only FBS team that’s started 4-0 four years in a row. … Penn State has held 14 of its last 15 Big Ten opponents to less than 100 rushing yards. … The Nittany Lions have allowed just nine combined second-half points all season and none in third quarters.
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